A federal jury has found Hunter Biden guilty on all three federal felony gun charges, determining that he violated laws designed to prevent drug addicts from owning firearms. This conviction is notable as it marks the first time a sitting president’s immediate family member has been found guilty of a crime during their father’s term, although Hunter Biden’s offenses occurred before Joe Biden became president.
The jury deliberated for just under three hours before delivering guilty verdicts on all three charges related to a revolver Hunter Biden purchased in October 2018 at a Delaware gun shop. The first two counts were for lying about his drug use on a federal background check form, and the third count was for possessing a gun while addicted to or using illegal drugs.
Hunter Biden faces a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000, though as a first-time offender, he is likely to receive a lesser sentence.
This verdict concludes a difficult chapter for the Biden family, many of whom were present in the courtroom, including first lady Jill Biden, who showed support throughout the trial and arrived shortly after the verdict was read. Hunter Biden’s conviction follows a long-running Justice Department investigation that began in 2018 and raises the stakes for his upcoming trial in September on federal tax charges.
Both cases have been overseen by special counsel David Weiss, formerly the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Delaware. The guilty verdicts in the gun case represent a significant validation for Weiss’ team, who have consistently denied claims from Hunter Biden’s lawyers that the charges were politically motivated.
President Biden and the White House have firmly ruled out the possibility of a pardon for Hunter Biden.
The weeklong gun trial featured deeply personal and emotional testimony about Hunter Biden’s struggles with alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction, casting a national spotlight on a dark period in his life, which he described in his book as “a blur of complete and utter debauchery” filled with “nothing but drinking and drugging.”
Prosecutors relied heavily on the testimony of three of Hunter Biden’s former partners, including their star witness Hallie Biden, the widow of his brother Beau Biden. They described in excruciating detail how his dependency on crack cocaine led to the end of his marriage, strained his relationships with his children, and placed him in dangerous situations on multiple occasions. Hunter Biden’s defense team argued, unsuccessfully, that he did not consider himself a user or addict when he bought and possessed the gun. Defense attorney Abbe Lowell urged the jury to acquit Hunter Biden based on this argument.
